Comfy Indoor Cat

This made me laugh. Woke up to a rainy day but it's warmer than yesterday so all is good here at the cottage. xo

Dahlias Saved from the Frost

One of my good friends was out of town this week and she texted me to go over and cut all of her dahlias to save them from the frost. So I did. There were only a couple of big open blooms but lots of tight buds that are beginning to open. It's so nice to have fresh flowers in the house this time of year and a friend who wants to share. 

Very Wonderful Bathroom

Don't you love the shiplap wall? It's very trendy now and I think it's pretty wonderful. The rest of this bathroom is lovely too. via

Public Walking Path near My Cottage

I had a busy day and ended up here. There was a real estate viewing in the late morning, a baby shower in the mid afternoon and a walk on the walking path near my house before the sun went down. It was a perfect day. I have on my pajamas already and I am looking forward to The Durrells in Corfu at 8PM on PBS. Enjoy your evening too. xo

Alexander Hamilton Documentary on PBS

Hamilton's America premiered last night on PBS and I forgot all about recording it. But as luck would have it, the full episode is available online. I just watched the entire documentary on my computer and it was absolutely wonderful. ENJOY.

Tool Shed with Dovecote

I dearly love this small timbered outbuilding with so many wonderful architectural details. Dovecote, cupola, timber frame decoration, interesting roofline, and goats too! Found on Pinterest.

DIY HALLOWEEN LIGHTS, Cats and Ghosts

So easy. Directions here.

Historic Brick Barn near My Cottage

I took this photo mid afternoon on my way home from the post office. This historic 19th century brick barn is off a public walking path that was once private property but was dedicated as parkland in 1989. This is the back of the barn not visible from the road. I am glad I pulled over and walked down the footpath for this photo on a cloudy day. I put it on Instagram too.

Dutch Apple Baby Pancake Recipe

DUTCH BABY PANCAKE WITH APPLES AND CINNAMON
(Adapted from Taste of Home)
*Serves 8* This looks so good I doubt it would serve 8 people, maybe 4 at the most
.
YOU WILL NEED:
Pancake:
3 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 tbs granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
.
Apple Topping:
2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tbs unsalted butter
Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting at the end)
Recipe found here

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, sugar and vanilla extract. Set aside. Butter a 9-inch round pan (or a cast-iron skillet, I didn’t have a skillet so I just used a round pan) and preheat your oven to 400 deg F. Pour your batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the pancake begins to puff up, the edges begin to curl away from the pan and the pancake is golden brown!

2. While your pancake is baking, prepare your apple topping. Peel and thinly slice your apples, and saute them in a small pan with the butter, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook until the apples are soft.

3. Once the pancake is done, sprinkle it with the confectioners’ sugar and top with cooked apples and serve!

Crows Visit their Old Parents

I love knowing this about crows, don't you? via

Garden Bench with Urns

This carved stone antique garden bench is quite wonderful. I wonder why nothing is planted in the urns? via

Sweater Weather

This image made me smile. via

Sweet Cottage and Garden

It's lovely, isn't it. So neat and tidy. Could be one of the outbuildings at Williamsburg but I'm not sure. image source

Nice Small Kitchen

I love the look of this kitchen. I have way too much stuff but have envisioned a walk-in pantry nearby. Then it would be perfect. See more kitchens here.

Tonight I am watching TIMELESS (episode three) on NBC. It's very good.

Racka Sheep with Unique Spiral Horns

Racka Sheep is a unique breed with both ewes and rams possessing long spiral shaped horns.The breed comes from Hungary and is used for milk and wool. Mature males may have horns as long as two feet or more. The cork-screw horns protrude almost straight upward from the top of the head. They look old and wise, don't they? via

PS -- I watched the new PBS series The Durrells in Corfu last night and LOVED it. 

A Room with Wonderful Symmetry

I love this entrance hall and the symmetry too. I could go down the list of everything I like but the word "everything" seems to cover it all. Enjoy this beautiful Sunday. xo via

Great Bedroom

It's getting nearer and nearer the time to jump in my own big brass bed and watch some DVDs from the library. I honestly don't look forward to the end of daylight savings time after Halloween when it will be dark before dinner. I like doing busy indoor work in the mornings and outside work after the sun dries out the dew on the grass. I guess I should try to get as much done in the next two weeks as I possibly can, right? Sounds like a plan. See you tomorrow. Enjoy your Saturday night. xo via

The Home of Yves Saint Laurent

"In the corridor leading to the library, a bright column of Ernest Boiceau terracotta and chair of English origin surmounted by a delicate drawing of Dante Gabriel Rossetti."

See more "over the top" images in the article that appeared in Architectural Digest France.

The article has been translated from French to English.

My 12 Recent Instagram Postings

If you are intrigued by any of the small photos in this set, look at my Instagram feed.

Wonderful Antique Fireplace

I'll take the dog painting too. Love it all. via

Celestial Globe 1579 Vienna

Celestial clockwork globe. 1579, Vienna, Austria, Met Museum via

This made my day. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?

Falling Leaves

Be safe if you are in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and any other coastal areas that might be affected by Hurricane Matthew. For the rest of you, enjoy the long Columbus Day weekend. xo

Drawers Galore in This Kitchen

I would rather have this in a workroom instead of the kitchen. I love flat files, filing cabinets. worktables, and anything an architect would love. It's very nice in this kitchen but I would never be able to find anything. How about you? Found in Instagram.

Beautiful Fall Color in My Woods

I took this photo in my woods looking into the late afternoon sun. We have lots of yellow and the red leaves are just starting. I love the backlighting. xo

DIY Heating Pad Cozy

I was all set to donate a fair isle pullover sweater vest that I never wear but decided to make a cover for my heating pad instead. It was so easy requiring only two seams, one on the left side and one at the top. I was able to utilize the two finished edges of the garment at the bottom and top right using the underarm banding. I am so happy and can hardly wait to use it. I usually turn it on a few minutes before I jump into bed in the fall and winter. I used the other half for a cozy for my hot water bottle. I have been very busy cleaning out closets and doing general reorganizing. The nesting season will be here soon. xo

Two Tiny Connected Cottages

I wish I knew more about these two tiny connected houses. I'll take the one with the screened in porch. Found here.

Octobers - Anne of Green Gables

I grew up loving Anne of Green Gables and I love this quote too. Found on Instagram.

Staircase Bookcases

This is very efficient use for a difficult space, isn't it? Bookcases everywhere is my idea of heaven. Have you said hello to October yet? via

Kitchen in A Magazine

I was in the waiting room at the Radiology Center today waiting for my yearly mammogram. I snapped this photo and then they called my name. I can't remember the name of the magazine but thought this kitchen was nice. It isn't real, just a fake setup in a showroom. I love the table in the center instead of an island. Have a great weekend. When you wake up in the morning, it will be October. 

Don't Feed Fingers to the Horses

This old sign in a barn that no longer has horses made me smile. Photographed at a broker open house on Tuesday. We have another cloudy day and my phone says more raining is coming later in the day. Enjoy the last day of September! Where did it go?????

A Really Cool Bathroom

It took a while for this galvanized box to register that it is the sink. How clever! I know it's not practical but it is certainly impactful, isn't it? I love the open shelving below and the powder room in general. The person who owns this has no worries about how hard this would be to clean. It's all for show and it makes a delightful photo to study. via

It's raining softly this morning and I'm so glad my mowing was completed in the last two days. Well, almost completed. The view from my balcony doesn't even hint that I didn't do the way, way back and the lower field yet. I'll get those at a later date. xo

Old Wheelbarrow with Fall Flowers

I photographed this vintage wheelbarrow filled with mums on Tuesday at a broker open house. There was a hose and a lawn sprinkler in the larger photo so I cropped them out. I have been busy cutting my grass really short because we have some rainy days coming. I like short grass before the leaves start to fall so they will blow away. It's looking good and it feels good to be working hard in this nice fall weather. xo